


Light Bulb Moment

by highfunctioningclotpole



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys Kissing, Confused Draco Malfoy, First Kiss, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Pining, Quidditch, admitting their feelings for each other, literally so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24489940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/highfunctioningclotpole/pseuds/highfunctioningclotpole
Summary: Draco is certain that he will always hate Harry Potter.The Chosen One annoys him to no end and Draco does all he can to bully, tease and torment him.But one day, something changes and Draco isn't sure what he's feeling is hate.Can hate be confused for something else? Why can't he stop thinking about Harry's eyes?It takes a trip to the hospital wing for everything to become clear.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 145





	Light Bulb Moment

Draco Malfoy would forever remember the moment his feelings for Harry Potter changed. He had spent so many years tormenting, teasing and hating Harry but now it all felt like a distant memory. In that one moment, that one split second of time, things changed forever.  Draco remembers the rush of adrenaline, the feeling of freedom as he soared on his broom, chasing the golden snitch across the Quidditch pitch, Harry hot on his tail. He was so close, just a little further and he would catch the snitch and win the match for Slytherin. But then something happened, a gust of wind knocked Draco backwards and his broom collided with Harry’s. They both fell, tumbling to the ground in a moment that seemed to last a lifetime and then  _ thud.  _ Draco was on the ground and Harry was atop him, groaning in pain. 

Draco looked up and his eyes met Harry’s, a deep green more vibrant than the grass they lay on and there, that was the moment. That was when everything changed for Draco.  He shoved Harry off of him with a grunt, grabbed his broom and stormed back to the changing rooms, a chorus of booing and jeers following him. 

Once he was alone, Draco wasn’t sure what to do with himself. All he could think about was that look in Harry’s eyes, something he had never noticed before. It was a look that spoke volumes and it played on Draco’s mind for weeks. Harry had always been a puzzle to Draco ever since the moment they had met. In Draco’s mind, Harry had all the traits of a Slytherin and was definitely put into the wrong house, the sorting hat was a complete fool. But Harry had always looked down on Slytherin, on him, everyone had. Slytherin’s were evil and wrong and unjust and it drove Draco mad to be tainted by these stereotypes. Sure, there were dark wizards who hailed from Slytherin and Salazar himself had had strong views that many disagreed with, but it didn’t mean that  _ every  _ Slytherin was evil or shared these views. And Draco had more than just the fact that he was a Slytherin against him. The name Malfoy was well known amongst the wizarding families and his father was a force to be reckoned with. Being a Malfoy and a Slytherin meant that people had opinions about Draco before they even got to know him, Harry included. 

And in the beginning, Draco had played into the stereotypes, he lived up to people’s expectations because what else was there to do? If the world was going to view him in a certain way he might as well bloody live like that. Deep down Draco never really agreed with his father’s views on blood purity, but words like ‘mudblood’ were thrown around in his household as if they were nothing. In truth, he despised his father and disagreed with almost all of his beliefs. Lucius was a mean, judgemental man and Draco would be damned if he followed in his footsteps. And yet that is what most people expected of him. He couldn’t recall how many times Harry had likened him to his father and it cut deep. Draco played up to it though, taunting Harry whenever he could, and his friends too. Hermione and Ron were more loyal friends than Crabbe and Goyle would ever be and Draco sometimes wondered if he acted out of jealousy. He had called Hermione a mudblood once, in a moment of anger and now, looking back, his heart was filled with regret. Hermione was a very talented witch, there was no denying it, she was probably better than Draco as much he loathed to admit that. 

It’d been two weeks since crashing into Harry at the match and every waking moment was filled with questions and doubts about the boy. Draco would wake up and the first thing he would think about would be Harry. He’d constantly try and tease him in the corridor but words would get stuck in his throat, the insults dying in his mouth. As much as he tried to act like everything was normal, Draco knew that was a lie. Something happened on the pitch between them, he was sure of it. He didn’t want to call it a ‘spark’ or anything so cheesy but it was  _ something. _ Draco buried the burning desire deep down, afraid to talk about it with anyone. As far as students at Hogwarts were concerned, Harry and Draco were enemies. They despised each other and could never be friends no matter the circumstances. These thoughts invaded Draco’s dreams and each night he imagined becoming the laughing stock of the wizarding world for admitting that he actually had  _ feelings _ for the one person he was meant to hate. 

He knew his father would never approve either. For one, Harry wasn’t pure blood, his mother had Muggle parents and for another thing, Harry was a boy. Lucius had told Draco from an early age that his duty was to continue the Malfoy line, to marry a pureblooded witch and let their legacy live on. If Draco now went home and told his father he fancied an impure blooded wizard, he’d probably end up in Azkaban. It was no use focusing on these feelings at all. Draco knew that even if Harry were to miraculously feel the same way, it’d be an uphill struggle to be accepted. Draco wasn’t even sure if Harry liked boys, he was always making eyes at Ron’s sister, Draco can’t remember her name. But every day since that fateful match, Draco had looked over to Harry's table at meal times and Harry was always looking at  _ her _ . She rarely looked back, which did instill some hope in Draco, but not much. 

Crabbe and Goyle noticed the change in Draco too. They asked Draco repeatedly what was up, why he wasn’t throwing snide remarks across classrooms at Harry but Draco brushed it off. He would make up some excuse about feeling under the weather or not actually giving a crap about what Harry Potter did and they were dumb enough to accept it.  Another week passed and looming at the end of the week was another Gryffindor vs Slytherin match. Draco could see it now, he could see himself racing towards the golden snitch, wind in his hair and then there on the horizon would be Harry-freaking-Potter. And Draco would melt, he’d become weak looking at those green eyes again and he’d fall, not just from his broom but he’d fall for Harry. No, he couldn't let that happen, he simply couldn’t. There was only one solution for Draco, he would refuse to play the match. 

It seemed simple enough, fake an illness and send in the substitute seeker. But then, the morning of the match whispers started and a rumour spread like wildfire throughout the school. The rumour was that Draco was pretending to be ill because he had embarrassed himself so much last time he played. People said that Draco was ashamed that Harry had landed on top of him after their collision and he was doing all he could to avoid the Gryffindor. Draco growled and wanted to punch himself when the rumour got to him and he decided enough was enough. He  _ miraculously  _ recovered and made it to the match, much to the substitutions dismay, and as he mounted his broom and took flight, Draco was determined to put an end to his silly fantasies once and for all. 

Draco soared up into the sky, the air filled with cheers and screams from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, no doubt all of them for the Gryffindor team. He took his position in the sky, eyes already locked on target: Harry Potter. Harry was grinning widely as he ran onto the pitch, broom in one hand and waving with the other. He knew the cheers were for him, he basked in the glory of being the “chosen one” and the youngest seeker in a century. Draco scowled at him, unable to shake the feeling of jealousy overpowering him. Not jealousy of Harry being so well liked, but jealousy that Harry seemed to notice everyone in the stadium except him. Harry waved at everyone he could, nodded at others but avoided all eye contact with Draco, and for the Slytherin, it didn’t make sense. Draco was sure Harry would want to get him back for the last game they played together, everyone blamed Draco for the crash and for ruining Harry’s broom. But from the look on Harry’s face and the state of his broom, it was as if nothing had happened, he looked completely carefree. As he mounted his broom and soared upwards, Draco couldn’t help but notice how the sun caught Harry’s eyes, that unmistakable shade of green inviting him in. Draco reluctantly pulled his face away as Madam Hooch blew the whistle to signify the start of the match. 

_ The snitch, Draco. Keep your eyes on the snitch.  _ Draco raced forwards, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign on the tiny golden ball, he was vaguely aware of Harry on the opposite side of the pitch doing the same. Twenty minutes passed and Slytherin had an early lead with 30 points to zero and for the first time in a few weeks, Draco smiled. Something flew past his face,  _ the snitch _ , and Draco swung into action quickly, reaching out on hand towards it. Harry noticed and was soon beside him, racing to grasp the ball and win the game. They flew higher and higher into the air, above the stand and in the clouds, the snitch darting to and fro, bouncing through the sky. Then as quickly as they had flown up, the two seekers were flying back towards the ground again, still side by side, impossibly close. 

Draco could smell Harry, could hear every breath he took and in a moment of weakness he turned his head to look at the boy. Harry’s face was frozen in determination, intent on grabbing the golden snitch. For Harry, nothing else existed in that moment except him and the snitch. Draco didn’t know how long he was looking at Harry, but when he pulled his head back he was suddenly flying face first into the ground. He put his hands out in front of him to break the fall but he skidded across the damp earth, grunting when his arm bent backwards in a way it definitely shouldn’t have done. The whistle blew, Draco saw Harry looking down at him, eyebrows furrowed, a look on his face that Draco couldn’t name. Then hands were on him and Draco was being lifted up, Blaise was under his left arm supporting him to walk and then it went dark. 

When Draco next opens his eyes he’s in the hospital wing. He can’t tell exactly what time it is but it’s dark and there are no noises to be heard. The castle is silent and Draco can just make out the distant sound of someone else breathing a few beds up from him. He tries to sit up but winces in pain, a sharp sensation in his side and his arm,  _ Merlin _ , his arm kills. Draco is sure it’s broken and Madam Pomfrey has left him to suffer for a bit before fixing it, and really he doesn’t blame her. The bed creaks as Draco shifts his weight, trying to find a comfortable position but as he moves, he feels something at the end of his bed. He kicks his leg out, foot feeling for what might be down there. It’s dark and Draco struggles to make out the shape, he doesn’t know where his wand is so he squints. He thinks maybe it’s his mother, come to check on him in the middle of the night so they don’t have to talk but she could say she had been. But when Draco kicks his leg out again, a voice he recognises immediately whispers back. 

“Ouch!” 

_ What the hell is Harry Potter doing here? _ Draco decides that his mind is playing tricks on him, Harry was the last thing Draco remembers seeing so yes. It must be that. But the bed creaks again and Draco hasn’t moved so it must be real. 

“Lumos.” The voice whispers and there, sat at the end of Draco’s hospital bed, is Harry Potter. The chosen one. The sight makes Draco feel faint but he steels himself and scowls. 

“What are you doing here,  _ Potter?”  _ Draco puts extra venom in the name, trying his hardest to conceal his feelings. 

“That’s the second time you’ve crashed and stared at me with that weird look on your face.” Harry’s voice is low, he’s anxious about waking up the other student who’s sleeping only two beds away. 

“What look? I don’t know what you mean.” 

“You could’ve won today, Malfoy. You were so close to the snitch and then you looked at me. And crashed.”

“I didn’t let you win if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

“No, you’d take any chance you could to prove you’re better than me.” 

Draco tries to turn away but the pain is his side has other ideas. He’s anchored in place by the feeling and the way Harry is looking at him, it was the same look he had when Draco was being lifted from the pitch. 

“What do you want?” Draco asks. 

“Why didn’t you grab the snitch today? And when we crashed last time, why did you storm off? You weren’t injured.” 

“I was distracted, okay? Happy now? Piss off.” 

Harry thought for a moment. When Draco had crashed into him those three weeks ago, something changed between them. He couldn’t put his finger on it at first but after a long and embarrassing chat with Hermione, Harry realised that his feelings towards Draco weren’t as he’d first imagined. When they had crashed, Harry didn’t feel anger or annoyance, he felt concern. Concern for Draco being in pain, for being hurt. And then he was storming off, running through to the changing rooms as quickly as his feet would carry him. The three weeks since had been the weirdest of all. Draco didn’t tease him, didn’t taunt him in potions when he messed up a simple recipe. When they passed in the hallways, Draco said nothing and it was strange. So today, when the match began Harry made a mental note to watch Dracos behaviour. Something was up with him and Harry couldn’t put it to rest. Hermione thought he was brave, for forgiving the past and admitting he liked Draco. Ron called him a bloody idiot but Harry ignored him and went with his gut. He remembers flying high above the Quidditch stand and the straight back down again, he remembers seeing Draco staring at him out the corner of his eye and then Harry remembers pulling upwards as the ground came closer. But Draco didn’t. He went head first crashing to the ground and as he was limping away, Harry remembers Draco looking back at him. 

“Distracted by what?” Harry says after a minute of silence. 

“Why the fuck do you care?”

Harry wonders if he should tell the truth. “I have a theory on what it might be.” 

“Oh, is that so? Do enlighten us all, Potter. I’m dying for a good laugh.”

“You were staring at me, Malfoy.”

“So?” 

“And you’ve been acting weird for the past couple of weeks.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Ever since we crashed, you haven’t insulted me once. You’ve looked at me differently.” 

“You’re an arse. Is that better? Is that what you want to hear?” Draco turns his head to look away, he can’t face looking into Harry’s eyes right now because he’s right.  _ Of course he’s bloody right _ but Draco will never admit it. He bites his lips hard as Harry continues. 

“Malf— Draco, you were distracted by me. You’ve changed around me and, well, if I’m right, if what I think is true, then I’m happy.” 

“Right about what?! Just bloody spit it out if you think you’re so clever. Mr Harry Potter thinks he knows everyone’s secrets!” Draco snaps, a little too loudly and the sleeping student stirs but doesn’t wake. 

“You like me, Draco.” 

Harry says it as if it’s nothing. As if admitting it won’t bring Dracos world crashing down. Admitting he likes boys, that’s one thing. But admitting he likes Harry Potter? Their rivalry is famous throughout the school, every student and teacher knows how much the two boys have fought over the years. For Draco to have fallen for Harry would be seen as ludicrous. People would mock him and he can’t have that. But Harry is giving him that look again, there’s a softness in his expression and Draco wants to tell him everything. He wants to express his deepest dreams and desires and talk with Harry till the sun comes up. He stays silent instead. 

“It’s okay if you do.” Harry says, shuffling up the bed a few inches. 

“How is any of this okay?”

“Because,” Harry reaches out to take Draco's hand in his own. “I like you too, Draco.” 

And Draco looks at him then, really looks at him. He studies Harry’s face in the dim light of his wand and he sees more emotion than ever before. Harry’s eyes are full of worry and doubt and hope and Draco feels his cheeks heat up. 

“I-I… I don’t understand.” 

“I like you! I didn’t realise it until recently but I do.” 

“But we could never be, Pott— Harry.” The name feels alien to Draco's mouth, having never called the Gryffindor that to his face. 

Harry smiles. “And why not? Because you’re a Slytherin and I’m a Gryffindor? That’s ridiculous.” 

“No. Because I’m a Malfoy. And my father expects an heir to our name, he expects so much of me and this,” Draco gestures between them. “This is not in his plan.”

Harry’s face falls slightly. “You’d give up on something that makes you happy to appease your father?” 

“You don’t know him.”

“But I know you. And I can see you’re struggling, Draco. If you’re certain you don’t want this, me, just say. I’ll go and we can forget all about this.” 

“Or?”

“Or if you think this could work and that we could make each other happy, I’ll stay. I’ll fight for you.” 

Harry doesn’t think before he speaks, he just says what comes to mind and blames it on the famous Gryffindor courage. He hadn’t realised just how deep his feelings for Draco were but once he opened up to it, the emotions seemed to keep pouring out. Harry looks at Draco's face for a sign, a hint of what he’s thinking but his expression is blank. Draco conveys nothing so Harry accepts his fate and moves to leave but he’s tugged back. Draco's hand is on his sleeve and Harry looks down to see the slightest hint of a smile. 

“Stay.” Draco whispers and Harry is more than happy to oblige. “When we crashed, that last match, I felt like I saw you for the first time.” 

Harry nods and waits for more, he doesn’t want Draco to stop now he’s begun to open up. 

“And I saw your eyes and something, I don’t know, something happened. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way you had looked at me.” 

It’s almost endearing to Harry to see Draco this vulnerable, this aware of his emotions. He wonders if Draco has spoken about it with anyone or if he’d been torturing himself for the past few weeks. Harry opens his mouth to speak but Draco continues. 

“And I kept thinking about how much I had hated you, how much you annoyed me but then I realised, it wasn’t hate. I was annoyed. It was much deeper than that.”

“I noticed it too, Draco. Hermione said it’s the lightbulb moment, when you realise the person you’ve been waiting for has been here all along.” 

“You spoke to Granger about this?” Draco demands. 

“Well yeah, I was confused, I needed advice. Didn’t you tell anyone?”

“No.” 

Harry grabs Draco's hand again and rubs a thumb over his pale skin. He imagines Draco sat in the Slytherin common room, churning over his thoughts and feelings and ignoring all those around him. He thinks about how deflated Draco has looked in class and realises it was all because of him. Where Harry had friends to support him, it seemed like Draco was alone and Harry felt a longing to hold him and tell Draco he was there.   
Harry smiles in the dark and puts his wand on the table beside the bed. The light from the Lumos charm is just strong enough that he can make out the delicate features of Draco's face. Harry cups the Slytherins jaw and bites his lips nervously, all the Gryffindor courage seemingly dissipating in the moment he needs it most.  
Harry’s hands are warm on Dracos skin and he feels powerless under his gaze. The chill of the room seems to die down as Draco burns all over with desire. His hands move from beside him and they’re suddenly on Harry’s side, fingers digging tight into the soft material. Draco can’t wait a second longer and pushes through the pain in his side to sit up and close the gap between them both. Their lips meet in the middle and the kiss is electrifying. It’s gentle and soft and Draco pours all his feelings into it. His hands move round until he’s holding Harry in his arms, holding on for fear if he lets go it he will wake up and this will all be a dream. But then Harry tilts his head, deepens the kiss by opening his mouth and granting entry to Draco. Draco gently nips at Harry’s bottom lip which causes the dark haired boy to let out a small moan. The noise goes straight to Dracos crotch and he pulls back, breathing heavily.   
Harry’s lips are red and Draco resists the urge to dive straight back in and kiss him again, he tries to control himself even though the feeling is so strong. Harry has a cocky grin on his face and where usually, Draco would want to wipe it away, he smiles and rubs his thumb over Harry’s bottom lip. Draco’s never realised before how beautiful Harry really is. His dark hair falls delicately around his face, his ridiculous glasses only accentuate the beauty of his eyes and his smile. Harry’s smile could melt the hardest of hearts and Draco finds himself wanting to be the only reason that Harry smiles.  
Harry links his fingers with Draco’s and tilts his head a little, watching the way Draco’s eyes move across him. He wonders what the Slytherin is thinking but doesn't push him for an explanation, he simply watches the way Draco’s face changes. After a few minutes of the two students sitting in silence, Draco finally speaks. 

“If we’re going to do this, Harry, you have to be prepared for the worst.” 

Harry nods. “I know.”   
“People won’t accept us to begin with. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor. A Malfoy and Potter. It’s an oxymoron.”    
“Draco, I don’t care what other people say or think. I like you and yes, it may have taken me a while to reach that conclusion, but I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.”    
Draco smiles, his thin lips curving up at the corners. “You’re unlike anyone I have ever met, Harry.”    


And then Harry is pushing forwards again, kissing Draco fiercely, a hand tangled in his blonde hair. Draco holds Harry close, their bodies so close that he can feel the thumping of Harry’s heart. The stinging in Draco’s side rises again and he pulls back a second time, hissing in pain. Harry looks at him with concern and places a hand on Draco’s side.

“Shit, sorry. You hit the ground hard when you crashed.”    
“It’s kind of a good thing really.” Draco chuckles.   
“Oh?”    
“If I wasn’t in so much pain then I’d do a lot more than just kiss you, Potter.”

_ Oh Merlin above,  _ Harry thinks. The way Draco says his surname then is like honey, full of sweetness and want and Harry is glad the room is dark. His cheeks are burning a dark shade of red and he swallows hard. 

“Better hurry up and get yourself fixed then.” Harry says, a wicked glint in his eye.

And they kiss once more, hands clasped together and gripping hard, bodies pushed against each other. Harry can feel heat pooling in his stomach and he moans into Draco’s mouth. Draco can’t get enough of it, he wants to consume Harry, take him apart and worship him. His trousers suddenly become tight and Draco is aware that if they don’t stop kissing he will take Harry there and then.   
Suddenly, a cough shakes the boys from their thoughts and they break apart breathing heavily. The student two beds down is awake and coughing madly. Harry stifles a laugh and whispers “Nox.” His wand goes dark and Draco has to bite his lips to keep himself silent. The student, a Ravenclaw Draco notices now, grabs a drink and rolls back over, seemingly oblivious to the two horny teenagers only meters away. 

Harry lets out a breath and sighs. “I should let you rest.”   
“Will you visit me? Tomorrow?”    
“Of course I will. Now get some sleep, Draco.”   
  
Harry stands up and pockets his wand as he kisses Draco on the forehead. Draco settles back into the bed and pulls the covers up high around him. He is about to drift off when a thought snaps him back awake.

“Harry?” Draco whispers into the darkness, unsure if the Gryffindor has left yet or not.   
“Yes?”    
“How did you manage to sneak in here? No one’s allowed in the hospital wing at night.” 

Harry clutches his father’s cloak close to him and takes a step forward. Draco can just make out his figure in the dim light and he waits for an answer.

“I’ll tell you another time, I think we’ve revealed enough secrets tonight.”    
“Hm. You better do. Good night, Harry.”   
“Good night, Draco.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in two days after having a dream about our boys and it's not been proofread so apologies for any mistakes! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy it, I've been thinking about maybe writing a little sequel but not sure yet. Let me know what you think!
> 
> -Much Love x


End file.
